Movers & Shakers: North West

2017

December

• CMS has appointed Nigel Lewis as a partner in its infrastructure, construction and energy disputes team.
• DWF has made a number of partner promotions including Fiona Matthews (insurance), Giles Kellner (insurance) and Lisa Stavropoulos (corporate).
• Harrison Drury has recruited director Eve Carter as head of its private client team.
• Hill Dickinson has made a number of promotions to senior associate including Charlotte Hart (employment commercial), Jade Chan (corporate), Emma Townley (property) and David Keenan (regulatory). They have also promoted Andrew Little (commercial litigation), Alistair Wallworth (property), Michelle Morgan (commercial and intellectual property), Nick Citron (health litigation), Victoria McManus (healthcare) and Ed Locke (cargo and logistics) to senior associate.
• Shoosmiths has appointed media rights specialist David Murray as a consultant in its sports team.
• Weightmans has appointed Bob Granger as group finance director.
• Harrison Drury has appointed property lawyer Wendy Newbury.
• Brabners LLP has appointed Richard Rigg as an associate in the family team.
• Davis Blank Furniss has appointed Matthew Handley as an assistant solicitor in its family team.
• Clough & Willis has appointed private client solicitor Rhianna Bateson. Paralegal Jack Trickett has also joined the firm’s property department.
• Aaron & Partners has welcomed Katherine Livesey to its family law team as a senior associate.

November

• Stephen Bell has been promoted from associate to partner in the commercial property team.
• Hilary Meredith Solicitors has appointed Dianne Yates as a partner.
• Victoria Melling has joined KBL Solicitors as partner and head of family.
• Harrison Drury has appointed associate Tracey McCambridge to lead its residential property team.
• Hibberts LLP has made two senior appointments. Jason Thomas has joined as a senior solicitor. Meanwhile, chartered legal executive Tara Crisp has also joined.
• Browne Jacobson has appointed Jonathan Edwards as the head of its banking and finance team.
• Slater and Gordon has welcomed fraud solicitor Rachel Adamson to the firm.
• Express Solicitors has promoted five associate partners. They are Craig Phillips, Sarah Fowden, Jonathan Flattery, Anne Heeley and Anna Pearson.
• MLP Law has recruited Elizabeth Wilkinson as head of its dispute resolution team.
• Shoosmiths has expanded its corporate team with the appointment of Andrew Miller as a partner.
• Hill Dickinson has appointed Tracey Sheehan as a partner and head of telecoms.
• Squire Patton Boggs has appointed Nick Helm as a partner in the real estate practice.
• Napthens has promoted Sophie Coane to associate in the commercial property team.
• Freeths has expanded its planning and environment group with the appointment of Andy McMullan who joins as a director.
• Fiona Bruce LLP has appointed solicitor James Thornton to specialise in litigation and commercial work.
• James Youdale has qualified into the litigation department at H.F.T. Gough & Co, dealing mainly with civil disputes and personal injury claims.

October

• Mills & Reeve has announced two new lateral hires for the firm’s real estate team: Mike Edge and Rachel Pitman join the firm as partners.
• Ben Leech and Heather Ford have been promoted to partners at Keoghs.
• Fieldfisher has recruited two new partners. David Bowcock will join the corporate team and Krista Powell into the real estate team.
• Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of partner James Fitzgibbon.
• Weightmans has announced a number of newly qualified solicitors. They are: Kevin Howard, Marie O’Grady, Matthew Foden, Jade Clarke and Pamela McGuigan.
• Rachel Adamson has joined Slater and Gordon’s criminal team.
• Alexandra Keane has joined Squire Patton Boggs as an associate in the corporate practice.
• Fletchers has appointed Peter Rigby as head of its medical negligence team.
• Quinn Barrow has welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Rory Nelson to the firm on the successful completion of his training contract.
• Marsden Rawsthorn has made a number of new appointments. Lorna Pound joins the wills and probate team, Kay Waddington joins the corporate/commercial department, Shajeda Begum is welcomed into the family team, Kirsty Donlan to the commercial department and Katie Bretherton within the residential department.
• Charlotte Hook has qualified into the commercial property department at Myerson, whilst Emma Dooley has qualified into the litigation team at the firm.
• Five newly qualified solicitors have joined their respective departments following completion of their training contracts with Stephensons. They are: Andrew Whitehead (commercial litigation), Alex Gill (clinical negligence), Stephen Woodhouse (employment), Sophie Maloney (civil liberties) and Natalie Parkinson (discrimination).

September

• Berrymans Lace Mawer has announced the appointment of Vivienne Williams as its new managing partner.
• Forbes Solicitors has appointed Emma Swan as a partner in the employment team.
• Fletcher Day has appointed Andrew Herricks as a corporate partner.
• Harrison Drury has appointed Silas Heys as a member of its commercial property team.
• Fieldfisher has recruited solicitor Annabelle Gold-Caution to its technology, outsourcing and privacy team.
• Dominic McGinn, a commercial litigator who has developed a niche practice in sports law, has joined Excello Law.
• Farleys Solicitors has recruited solicitor Samantha Follows to its abuse law department.
• HRC Law has appointed Nasrin Ali as an associate in the commercial property department.
• Turner Parkinson has welcomed senior associate Jonathan Royle to the firm’s employment team.
• WHN Solicitors has appointed Louise Desoer as a conveyancing legal executive.
• Slater Heelis has appointed partner Simon Wallwork as head of the firm’s corporate team.
• DWF has appointed Asima Rana as a director in its commercial litigation team.
• JMW Solicitors has appointed Samantha Blackburn to its commercial real estate team.
• Fiona Bruce & Co LLP has appointed two new associates: Gareth Langham, commercial and private client, and Tim Grainger, head of employment and litigation.
• Napthens Solicitors has welcomed James Gilbert to its employment and HR team.
• Hall Brown Family Law has appointed Katie Dillon as an associate solicitor to head a specialist children law team.
• Horwich Farrelly has promoted Rick Preston and Michael Rimmer to partner.
• Slater and Gordon has appointed Linda Kirk as head of residential property.
• Paul Crowley & Co has expanded its crime department with the appointment of solicitor Lyndsay Clark.
• Brabners LLP has promoted two lawyers to senior associate: Hannah Carter in lititgation and Joanne Radcliffe in family.

August

• Irwin Mitchell has named Ros Bever as its new head of family.
• Kuits has made three partner promotions: Jan Winstanley has been promoted in the corporate team; Lauren Clyne is a member of the private client team focusing on regulatory changes to probate and tax; and Paul Bricknell who also works in the private client team.
• Hugh Jones Solicitors has announced a number of promotions: Tom Young and Sam Firth are promoted to associate in the Court of Protection and expert witness teams; Fiona Ludkin and Charlotte Pisuto are promoted to associate in the private client team whilst Rachel Duxbury is promoted to trainee solicitor in the Court of Protection and private client teams.
• Pannone Corporate has appointed legal director Jane Shaw who specialises in complex trust advice and estate and tax planning.
• Napthens Solicitors has appointed Victoria Taylor as a solicitor in the litigation and dispute resolution team.

July

• Gateley plc has promoted a number of new partners, including Stephen Roberts (corporate), Stuart Evans (pensions) and Hayley Sullivan (construction).
• JMW Solicitors has announced a number of promotions including Marc Yaffe, head of the commercial litigation team, who has been made a full equity partner.
• Fieldings Porter has appointed Liz Taylor as a partner.
• Trowers & Hamlins has made a number of partner promotions including Dan Butler (dispute resolution and litigation, commercial litigation) and Eleanor James (banking and finance).
• Butcher & Barlow has welcomed Lynsey Stuchfield to the partnership.
• DAC Beachcroft has appointed Andrew Clare as a legal director in its corporate team.
• Paul Crowley & Co has appointed Natasha Booth as head of private client.
• Roberts Jackson has promoted Patrick FitzGerald to head of its industrial disease fee earning division.
• Birchall Blackburn has promoted Jennifer Gadsdon of the specialist property team.
• Hatchers has appointed Sarah Jane Smith and Morgan Fitzpatrick, who both join the family law team.
• Ross Wellman, an experienced property and commercial solicitor, has joined Vincents Solicitors as a director and head of the commercial department.
• Burnetts Solicitors has appointed Kathryn Dean as a senior associate in the commercial property team.
• Weightmans has appointed Kieran Donovan as partner to lead its corporate practice.
• Brabners LLP has appointed partner Steven Appleton as head of the firm’s private client practice.

June

• Stephensons has welcomed clinical negligence expert Tom Mooney and commercial property specialist Chris Graves to the partnership.
• Freeths has appointed restructuring and insolvency partner Kevin Pinkerton as deputy managing partner.
• Fieldfisher has appointed Bridget Collier who will head the firm’s mesothelioma and asbestos team.
• Leigh Day has appointed solicitor Jane Bedford-Mclaren to its cycling injury team.
• Burnetts solicitors has appointed Katie Wright as a solicitor in the family law team.
• Davis Blank Furniss has appointed Lewis Thompson as a private client solicitor.
• Linder Myers Solicitors has appointed Laura Hitchen as a solicitor in the family law team.
• DLA Piper has made a number of partner promotions including Andrew McIlhinney (employment).
• Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of partner Andrea Cropley.
• SAS Daniels has announced Jeremy Orrell as its new managing partner.
• JMW Solicitors has expanded its cycling team with the appointment of Nadia Kerr as a partner and head of the team.
• Browne Jacobson has expanded its employment practice with the appointment of associate lawyer Ian Deakin.

May

• DAC Beachcroft has appointed Philip Harman as a partner in its employment and pensions group.
• Hill Dickinson has appointed Alasdair Mackinnon as a partner in its banking team.
• Shoosmiths has appointed conveyancing partner Lisa Gibbs, Tim McNamara as a partner in the banking team and Paul Gidman as a partner in the real estate team.
• Clarke Willmott has made a number of appointments. They include Helen Tse who joins as a partner in the corporate team.
• Hilary Meredith Solicitors has welcomed Kris Inskip as head of clinical negligence.
• Brabners LLP has appointed Simon Taylor as a partner.
• Clarke Willmott has made a number of appointments. They include associate Emma Collins and solicitor Alexis Campbell.
• Browne Jacobson has appointed Viki Shaw to its real estate practice.
• Corporate solicitor Wendy Keely has joined Napthens.
• Your Legal Friend has welcomed Kay Wilkes as group HR and operations director.
• Express Solicitors has appointed Nyssa Crorie as in-house barrister.
• Rebecca Armstrong has qualified into the dispute resolution team at Cartmell Shepherd. They have also welcomed Mark Aspin as a director at the firm.
• Burnetts Solicitors has welcomed solicitor Megan Richardson to its agribusiness and commercial property teams. The firm has also recruited legal executives Vikki Porthouse and Rachael Holliday, and conveyancer Diane Watson.

April

• Addleshaw Goddard has appointed planning partner Glenn Sharpe to its northern practice.
• Hill Dickinson has appointed Ivor Long as a partner in its national insurance practice.
• Fieldfisher has appointed Ian Austin as managing partner.
• Weightmans has recruited commercial litigator Damian Carter as a partner.
• TLT has appointed partner John Hyde. He has experience in the commercial property sector.
• Browne Jacobson has appointed Gerard Hanratty as a partner in its health sector team.
• Harrison Drury Solicitors have promoted John Osborne to be its new head of family law.
• Hilary Meredith Solicitors has appointed Peter Watson as its new CEO.
• Gorvins has appointed Nicola McInnes as its new head of family law.
• Russell & Russell has set up a personal injury department. Claire McKenzie will lead the department. The firm has also appointed two new solicitors to its family department; Donna Leigh and Hilary Farren.
• Bromleys Solicitors has welcomed three new solicitors. Sue Darlington joins the private client team, Rubina Begum joins the corporate and commercial services team and Jessica Horsman joins the care proceedings and social services team.
• Baines Wilson has appointed Imogen Duck to its dispute resolution and litigation team.
• Burnetts Solicitors has announced the appointment of partners Natalie Ruane and Joanne Stronach as joint had of employment and HR.
• JMW Solicitors has recruited corporate partner Damien Brown.
• Andrew Davidson has re-joined Berg as a partner.
• Irwin Mitchell has announced a number of promotions to senior associate. They are Dina Lambourne, Katrina London (personal injury); Emily Williams, Emma Tonge, Paul Barnard, Vanessa Rickard (real estate); Glen Walker and Steph Higgs (Ascent); Mathieu Culverhouse (public law); Nathaniel Groarke (family); and Kate Byers (pensions).
• Slater Heelis has appointed Camilla Thornberry as an associate solicitor in the commercial property department.
• Karen Yates has joined the wills & estate planning team at Napthens.
• Vincents Solicitors has appointed senior solicitor Debora Harrison to its clinical negligence team.
• Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall has appointed Katharine Marshall to head up the family law department.
• Paul Crowley & Co has appointed Philip Barnes as its new operations director.
• Land Law has appointed two new property solicitors to the firm; Nicola Jackson and Ellen McDermott.
• Freeths has announced the promotion of Graeme Danby to director.
• Brabners LLP has made a number of senior appointments. Victoria Trigwell has joined the firm’s commercial and intellectual property team as an associate. Ioana Ghiurco also joins as an intellectual property and trademark administrator. Andrew McGregor has joined the sports practice as an associate.

March

• Hilary Meredith Solicitors has appointed Zoe Holland as a non-executive director.
• McHale & Co has welcomed newly-qualified Charlotte Harris who has joined the firm’s personal injury, industrial disease, conveyancing and private client teams on the successful completion of her training contract with the firm.
• Brabners LLP has made two senior appointments. Andrew Rogers joins as a senior associate in the property litigation team and Nora Schofield as head of residential property.
• SAS Daniels has appointed Victoria Timothy as an associate solicitor in the personal law team.
• Birchall Blackburn Law has announced that Jennifer McGowan has qualified as a solicitor.
• Corporate lawyer Jennifer Bell has joined Forbes Solicitors as an associate in the corporate & restructuring team.
• Roberts Jackson has promoted Nimish Patel and Bill Singer to associates.
• Pinsent Masons has appointed Kieran Toal, a private equity specialist, as a partner in the corporate department.
• Kennedys has appointed Paula Garvey as a partner, joining a team which handles pre-litigation and litigated motor and casualty claims.
• Brabners LLP has appointed partner Ian Mylrea to lead the firm’s national pensions practice.
• Browne Jacobson has expanded its property health practice with the appointment of partner Victoria Thourgood.
• Gorvins solicitors has appointed partner Jonathon Crook to its commercial litigation team.
• SAS Daniels has appointed Stephen Foster as a partner in its employment law and HR team.
• Law By Design has welcomed Kirsty Macdonald as a director.
• Donna Harper has qualified into the commercial and litigation team at LHS Solicitors.

February

• Napthens has named Helen Lucking as head of its family & divorce team.
• SAS Daniels has announced the launch of a specialist agricultural law practice. The team will be headed up by partner Helen Gowin and associate James Goddard.
• Leigh Day has appointed Kevin Johnson as a partner in the firm’s industrial disease department.
• Paul Crowley & Co has welcomed solicitor James Reed to the firm. Reed specialises in employer liability and public liability claims.
• Mfg Solicitors has welcomed Alastair Brierley as a legal consultant in its private client team.
• Chester firm Oliver & Co has appointed Louise Holmes to its wills and probate team.
• Sonia Rickard, who specialises in child care law, has joined the family team at Poole Alcock.
• Hill Dickinson has appointed Amanda Hurst as a legal director.
• SAS Daniels has appointed associate solicitor Kerry Blackhurst to its private client team.
• FDR Law has welcomed Daniel Lee as an associate solicitor and head of the personal injury and clinical negligence team.
• Allington Hughes has welcomed commercial property solicitor Lucienne Sutton to the firm.
• Claire Higham has qualified into the family law team at KBL Solicitors.
• Davitt Jones Bould has appointed commercial property specialist Ben Fairhurst as an associate director.

January

• Simpson Millar has appointed Matthew Clayton as partner and head of serious trauma.
• Gorvins Solicitors has announced the appointment of Martin Hoare as the firm’s new managing partner.
• Slater and Gordon has appointed Mark Alexander as a principal lawyer.
• Fletchers Solicitors has appointed Lynne Ainsworth as supervisor in the firm’s clinical negligence serious injury team and Nina Sahu who has over 15 years’ experience in clinical negligence claims.
• Slater Heelis has recruited Daniel Stern as an associate in its dispute resolution team.
• Primas Law has appointed Sheila Whitton as head of its housing and regeneration team.
• Davis Blank Furniss has appointed Robert Parkinson to its property team. His new role includes handling the sales and purchases of both freehold and leasehold properties, advising on buying a council house, remortgaging of residential property, transferring ownership and shared ownerships.